From: Darrell128@aol.com
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 20:39:03 -0500 (EST)
Subject: NR 004: Newton CRC secedes by 49-1 vote after classis urges members to
disregard
NR #1997-004: Newton Christian Reformed Church Secedes by 49-1 Vote After
Classis Urges Members to Disregard Council Leadership
First Classis Hudson refused to seat Rev. Casey Freswick at its fall session
because of statements made in an interview with United Reformed News Service
about women in office being "wickedness" and for stating that he intended to
leave the Christian Reformed denomination. Then the classical interim
committee sent a letter to all members of Newton CRC -- but not to the
members of the council -- urging the church members to disregard the
leadership of the council. Now the church has voted by a 49 to 1 margin to
secede from the Christian Reformed Church. According to Freswick, the letter
to the church members by the classical interim committee was the last straw.
NR #1997-004: For Immediate Release
Newton Christian Reformed Church Secedes by 49-1 Vote After Classis Urges
Members to Disregard Council Leadership
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
United Reformed News Service
(January 8, 1996) URNS -- First Classis Hudson refused to seat Rev. Casey
Freswick at its fall session because of statements made in an interview with
United Reformed News Service about women in office being "wickedness" and for
stating that he intended to leave the Christian Reformed denomination. Then
the classical interim committee sent a letter to all members of Newton CRC --
but not to the members of the council -- urging the church members to
disregard the leadership of the council. Now the church has voted by a 49 to
1 margin to secede from the Christian Reformed Church.
According to Freswick, the letter to the church members by the classical
interim committee was the last straw. In the November 13 letter, the
classical interim committee told the Newton CRC members that "we have become
aware of plans within the leadership of Newton CRC to invite the membership
of the congregation to secede from the Christian Reformed Church in North
America."
"We want to appeal to you, on behalf of Classis Hudson and, more
importantly, out of love for unity within the body of Christ, not to
cooperate with any attempt to separate the Newton congregation from the
Christian Reformed Church," continued the classical letter. "We are aware of
the reasons and arguments that have been brought to you in support of a
secession. Without spending pages and pages attempting to refute these
reasons, we wish to simply state that none of them warrant yet another
dismemberment of the body of Christ."
"It is our hope and prayer that we might continue to find ways to dialogue
and speak together in love in spite of any differences we might have," closed
the letter, which included a recent article on the matter for the
consideration of the church membership.
To say the letter annoyed the church and congregation would be an
understatement. "The only reason that I received one is that it was addressed
to my mother, 93 years old, who resides with us and she gave it to me," said
council vice-president Elder Roger Frey.
Freswick said that the overwhelming margin indicated a high degree of unity
in the 114-member church, and that even a few church members who abstained
from the vote indicated they would remain in local church although they
disagreed with its decision to leave the CRC. "We praise God for the unity
expressed in our common convictions as a local church about the teachings of
God's Word currently countered by our culture," said Freswick. "I think it's
pretty exciting when this number of people within a local church can be
united on the current theological issues and the cultural issues."
The formal motions placed before the congregation on December 16 and
ratified by the elders on December 17 called for the church to leave the CRC
effective December 31, to seek a "faithful Reformed denomination," and to
reissue a new call to Freswick to pastor the church. The motion to seek a new
denomination passed unanimously and the motion to reissue a call to Freswick
passed by a 48 to 2 margin.
Newton's plans for the future include a strong commitment to seek a new
denominational affiliation rather than remaining independent. "We are
committed 100% to being a member of a denomination," said Freswick. "I'm sure
we're not going to be making any decisions until we get the report from the
Interclassical Conference on various denominations on the first of March, and
we may not make any decision until early fall, which would give us time to
wait until synod meets and see what other churches want to do as a result of
what synod does."
Newton also planned to continue its contacts with local ex-CRC churches as
well as conservative CRC's in the area. "We hope to meet with Pompton Plains
Reformed Bible Church which is a part of the United Reformed Churches to look
at the United Reformed church order and ask them questions; hopefully we are
going to get Franklin Lakes part of that," said Freswick.
While there is little that Classis Hudson can do about Newton CRC's
secession in light of the near-unanimous vote, Freswick's ministerial
credentials are another matter. Freswick has previously expressed concern
that prior conduct by the classis indicated that he might be deposed from
office as a result of the church's secession.
Contacted repeatedly for an opportunity to respond to the Newton objections
to the classical letter, interim committee chairman Rev. David Poolman
initially didn't return phone calls and then agreed to respond after the
Christmas holidays, but did not return calls prior to final deadlines. Other
classis officials contacted were on vacation and unavailable for comment.
Cross-References to Related Articles:
#1996-088: Interclassical Conference of Christian Reformed Conservatives to
be Asked to Create Nongeographical Classes; Minority Urges Immediate
Secession from Christian Reformed Denomination
#1996-108: Quotes in United Reformed News Service Prompt Classis Hudson to
Unseat Rev. Casey Freswick
Contact List:
Rev. Casey Freswick, Pastor, Newton Christian Reformed Church (Independent)
47 Condit St., Newton, NJ 07860
O: (201) 383-9635 * H: (201) 383-2263 * E-Mail: cfres@nac.net
Elder Roger Frey, Consistory Vice-President, Newton Christian Reformed Church
(Independent)
199 Prospect School Rd., Sparta, NJ 07871
O: (201) 383-3931
Rev. David Poolman, Interim Committee Chairman, Classis Hudson
416 Cedar Hill Ave., Wyckoff, NJ 07481
O: (201) 444-4177 * H: (201) 652-4277 * FAX: (616) 201) 652-3245
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file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive97: nr97-004.txt